Seed-planter and fertilizer-distributer.



No. 635,094. I 'Patented'flct. l7, I899. G. w. FENDER.

SEED PLANTER AND FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER (Applicafion filed May 13,1899.)

(No Model.)

W ihgesscs E azmmder" 1 1 I7 I F i v 1 Io gays,

No. 635,094. Patented Oct. I7, I899.

a. w. FENDER. V SEED PLANTER AND FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

(Application filed May 13, 1899.)

.(No Modal.) 2 Sheets Sheet 2.

n1: NORRIS PETERS c0, uoraumu, vusumnwu a c.

Unrrn ,rn'rns n'rnnr rrrcn.

GEORGE lV. FENDER, OF SPARKS, GEORGIA.

SEED-PLANTER AND FERTILIZER-DISTRIBUTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,094, dated October17, 1899. Application filed May 13,1899. Serial No. 716,697. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom itJW/Cty concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. FENDER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Sparks, in the county of Berrien and State ofGeorgia, have invented a newand useful Seed-Planter andFertilizer-Distributer, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in seed-planters and fertilizerdistributers; and the object in View is to provide means by which thegrain or seed may be deposited at proper intervals in a furrow and thefertilizer also dropped at proper intervals and adjacent to the placesof deposit of the seed, the seed and fertilizer dropping devices beingactuated alternately to the end that the fertilizer maybe dropped in theintervals between the discharge of the seed.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for regulating theoperation of the seeddropping mechanism and 'also of thefertilizer-distributing mechanism to discharge seed and fertilizer atvariable intervals for the purpose of planting the seed at differentdistances apart.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novelseed-dropping mechanism by which the seed is collected at regularintervals from the hopper and is positively expelled from the droppingdevice to prevent lodging of the seed and choking thereof in theseed-cups.

With these ends in View the invention consists in the novel combinationof elements and in the construction and arrangement of parts, which willbe hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand the invention, I have illustrated thepreferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and in Which- Figure 1 is a perspective Viewof the seedplanter and fertilizer-distributer constructed in accordancewith my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation throughthe machine on the plane indicated by the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 3.Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through the seeddropp ingmechanism on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical transversesection through the fertilizer-dropping mechanism on the plane indicatedby the dotted line 4 40f Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View ofthe operating devices for the droppingslide in the fertilizerhopper.Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the seed-dropping disk removedfrom the planter. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of theseed-cups. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the expelling devicesfor the seed-dropping mechanism, said expelling devices being detachedfrom the disk.

Like numerals of reference denote like and corresponding parts in eachof the several figures of the drawings.

The framework of my improved planter consists of therearwardly-divergent beams 10 and 11, which are joined firmly togetherat their front ends by the spacing-block 12 and suitable through-bolts,and upon these beams are firmly clamped the hoppers, which are arrangedin tandem fashion, or one in rear of the other, for the purpose ofholding the seed in one hopper and the fertilizer in a separate orindependent hopper. These hoppers are fastened to, the beams firmly forthe purpose of holding said beams in their spread positions; but, ifdesired, suitable braces or stays may be interposed between the beams inorder to spread them and maintain the covering-shovels in spacedrelation, so as to travel in pairs on opposite sides of the places wherethe seed and fertilizer are dropped.

A hanger 13 is secured in any approved way to the front end of theframe, and this hanger receives the axle of a ground-wheel 14, thatserves to actuate the dropping devices for the seed and fertilizerhoppers. The covering-shovels 15 are fastened to the stock 16, attachedto the rear ends of the beams, and the handles 17 are also fastened tothe beams for guidance of the implement.

To assist the ground-Wheel in supporting the machine and to preventexcessive weight and strain being imposed upon the coveringshovels, Iprovide the casters 18, which are disposed in rear of the shovels, so asto lie at the opposite end of the frame to the groundwheel. Thesecasters are mounted in the swiveled standards 19, and the standards arefashioned at their upper ends to produce the spindles 20. These spindlesare fitted loosely in bearings 21, which are fastened firmly to the rearendsof the beams, and each spindle vation.

is provided at its upper extremity with a head 22. The spindle passesloosely through a slot 24 in an adjusting-lever 23, the front end ofwhich is curved and fulcrumed upon a beam, substantially as shown by thedrawings, and the head 22 of the spindle is designed to rest upon theadjusting-lever, while the spindle itself is fitted loosely in theslotof the lever. The lever carries a pawl 25, which is pivoted to ahandpiece 26, the latter being mounted by a pivotal joint on the leverfor the purpose of conveniently adjusting the pawl. A slotted andnotched segment'27 is fastened to the rear extremity of the beam in aposition for its bifurcated upper end to loosely embrace theadjusting-lever, and the notched segmental edge of this segment ispresented to the nose of the pawl for the latter to engage with thesegment, and thus enable the lever to hold the caster-wheels at' thedesired ele- It will be obvious that the lever may be elevated ordepressed to correspondingly adjust the caster-wheels, and as thespindles of the caster-standards are fitted loosely in the bearings andin the slotted levers the casters are free to turn in a horizontalplane, so that they may change their positions readily according to thedraft on the implement.

The seed-hopper 28 is fitted to the main frame near the front endthereof and just in rear of the ground-wheel. In the practicalembodiment of my invention this hopper is constructed in flared form andof sheet-metal side walls united to a suitable base. The hopper isarranged transversely across the main frame for its bottom to rest uponthe beams, and said hopper is confined firmly in position by aclamping-bar 29 and the bolts 30. The clamping-bar is applied againstthe lower edges of the beams, and the bolts 30 are engaged with thehopper-bottom and with the ends of said clamping-bar. The front wall ofthe hopper is provided with a vertical slot 31, which extends from thebottom to the top edge, so as to divide the front wall to accommodatethe revoluble seed-disk, and to this front wall are applied thejournal-bearings 32, which are fastened firmly in place on oppositesides of the vertical slot. The seed wheel or disk 33 occupies avertical position in the slot 31 of the hopper for rotation in avertical plane around the horizontal axis, and this disk is firmlysecured in any approved manner to a horizontal shaft 34, which ismounted in the bearings 32, one end of said shaft being extended orprolonged beyond the hopper, as indicated by Fig. 3. On this extended orprolonged end of the horizontal shaft is secured a driven sprocket-wheel35, around which passes an endless sprocket-chain 36, which engages witha sprocket-pinion 37, which is secured to the extended end of the axlethat carries the ground-wheel 14, whereby the sprocket-chain transmitsthe motion of the ground-wheel to the shaft 34, that carries the seedwheel or disk 33. The elements of the gearing between the seed-wheelshaft and the ground-wheel axle are proportioned to drive the seed wheelor disk at a speed proper for the discharge of the seed from its cups atthe desired intervals apart; but the drivingsprocket 37 is securedremovably to the axle of the ground-wheel, so that it may be replaced bya pinion of different diameter from the one displaced to the end that adifferent speed may be given to the seed wheel or disk, and thus providefor planting the seed at different distances apart.

The seed wheel or disk 33 is arranged to travel partly within the hopper28, and this seed-wheel is peculiarly constructed to accommodate theseed-collecting cups and expelling devices, which are associated withsaid cups to secure the effective discharge of the seed therefron1,andthereby prevent lodgment of the seeds in the cup and choking of thelatter. The disk or wheel 33 is provided at regular intervals in itsperiphery with the radial notches 38, and in the peripheral edge of thisdisk or wheel recesses 39 are formed to open into the radial notches.riphery and adjacent to the radial notches therein the seed wheel ordisk has a number of chambers or compartments 40, which correspond innumber to the notches 38 and which communicateindividuallytherewith.These chambers open through one face only of the seed-wheel, and theopen side of the chambers are closed by the face-plates 41, which arepreferably arranged flush with the face of the seed-disk, to which theyare applied and which plates are secured firmly in place in any approvedway. The seed-wheel carries a number of seed-cups 42, which arepreferably made of metal and are cast in a single piece to conformsubstantially to the contour of the radial notches 38 in the peripheraledge of the disk. Each seed-cup is fitted in its notch in the disk tolie substantially flush with the faces and periphery of said disk, andeach cup is formed with a pocket 43 and with a hood 44, the hood beingintegral with the cup preferably. The hood of the seed-cup extendsslightly beyond the peripheral edge of the disk, and this hood does notentirely cover the pocket, thus leaving a portion of the pocket open orexposed for the lodgment or collection of the seed from the hopper asthe seed-cup sweeps or travels through the hopper in the revolution ofthe seed-disk.

It will be understood that the seed-wheel may be equipped with anydesired number of cups, although I have only shown three cups on thedisk, and that the cups may be fastened to the disk by any preferredmeans.

Within its pe-- The hoods which partially close the pockets deviceswhich correspond in number to the seed-cups and are housed within thecompartments of the wheel or disk. Each expelling device has areciprocating plunger 45, which is loosely fitted in the inner part ofthe pocket 43 in the seed-cup, and this plunger projects into thecompartment 40. The heel of the plunger is pivoted to the upper end of atrigger 46, which is disposed in a substantially radial position withinthe compartments 40 of the disk or wheel, and this trigger is pivoted ata point intermediate of its length, as at 47. The pockets 43 have anapproximately tangential arrangement, whereby they are best adapted togather the seed by apositive action, the projecting ends of the hoodsmateriallyassistinginthegatheringaction. The plungers 45 have acorresponding tangential disposition, so as to expel the seed with theleast expenditure of force, whereby the draft of the machine is notmaterially increased. The chambers 40 communicate with the pockets 43and are ample to receive the plungers, the triggers, and theretracting-springs. The plunger is normally retracted to a position atthe rear extremity of the pocket in the seedcup by a spring 48, whichhas one end fitted against the trigger 46 and its other end bearingagainst the seed-Wheel, whereby the plunger is normally held by thespring in a position to close the inner end of the cup-pocket. Thetrigger46, at the end opposite to the pivot 47 of the plunger, isprovided with an actuating-pin 49, which extends laterally from thetrigger and projects through an arc-shaped slot 50, formed in theface-plate 41, and this pin 49 is adapted to engage witha yieldabledetent 51, which is fixed on the hopper to lie in the path of the pin49, on the series of triggers of all the expelling devices. This detentis shown in the drawings as consisting of a curved elastic arm, which isfirmly fastened at one end to the hopper to assume a position close toone face of the disk or wheel, and in the revolution of the latter theoperating-pins 49 engage successively with the detent for the purpose ofmovingthe triggers in a direction against the tension of their retracting-springs, and thereby force the plungers 45 through theseed-cups, so as to expel from said cups the seed or corn which iscontained in the pockets. The triggers are thus actuated automaticallyand successively on the rotation of the disk, and the seed-cups areprevented from choking by lodgment of the seed or grain therein. Avertical seed tube or funnel 50 is arranged between theground-wheel andthe hopper 28, and this tube or funnelis fitted between the pairs ofbeams so as to be secured firmly thereto.

or funnel is enlarged and widened to form a broad flared month whichpartially embraces the exposed section of the revoluble seed disk orwheel, and the seed or grain from the cups 42 is discharged into thetube or funnel, that The upper end of the tube serves to conduct theseed to the ground and prevent scattering.

The fertilizer-hopper 53 may be constructed of metal or other suitablematerial, and it is provided With a bottom adapted to rest firmly uponthe main frame. This fertilizer-hopper is held in place by aclamping-bar 54, fitted against the lower side of the frame and held inplace by bolts 55, which are attached to the hopperbottom. A verticalslot 56 is formed in the bottom of the fertilizer, and across this slotis arranged a slide-valve 57, which is fitted in suitable guides 58,that are attached to the hopper-bottom on the under side thereof. Anoperating-lever 59 is: arranged in a position transversely to the lengthof the frame and between the seed and fertilizer hoppers, and this leveris fulcrumed at a point intermediate of its length to an arm 60, whichis fixed either to the bottom of the fertilizer-hopper or the mainframe. The inner end of this operating-lever is connected operativelywith the slide-valve by the link 61, and to the outer end of the leveris connected a pitman 62 by a pivot-joint 63. The pitman extendsalongside of the seed-hopper, and its front end is formed with alongitudinal slot 64, adapted to be connected to a rocker-arm 65 by awrist-pin 66.- The rocker-arm occupies an upright position contiguous toone end of the shaft 34, and said arm is fitted or mounted loosely on ashort horizontal arm 68, the inner end of which is bent to form avertical portion, as shown, and which is fixed to the seed-hopper. Thewrist-pin 66 of the rocker-arm passes through the slot 64 in the pitman,and this wrist-pin and the pitman are prevented from becomingdisconnected by a nut 67, which is screwed on a threaded extremity ofthe wrist-pin. The presence of the slot 64 in the pitman enables thelatter to beconnected by the wrist-pin to the rocker-' arm at variabledistances from the pivotal connection between the pitman and theoperating-lever, and as the stroke or movement of the rocker-arm remainsconstant this adjustable connection of the pitman provides for variablemovement of the operating-lever, so that the slide-valve may bereciprocated more or less to vary the quantity of the fertilizer whichmay be dropped through the slot in the bottom of the hopper. The slide-Valve is held normally closed across the slot in the bottom of thehopper by a retractingspring 59, which is attached to the lever 59 andthe hopper, and this spring normally returns the lever to a positionwhere the rocker-arm is moved by the pitman in the path of an actuatingdevice on the seed-wheel shaft 34. This actuating device for therocker-arm is a disk 68 having a series of pins 71, which are adapted toimpinge or ride against the rocker-arm, and this disk is provided with asquare aperture adapted to fit on the polygonal end 70 of the shaft 34.As the shaft is rotated it carries the disk 68 with IIO it, and theprojecting pins 71 of said disk ride successively against the rocker-armto move the latterin a rearward direction against the tension of thespring 59 and the pitman 62 is thereby moved to Vibrate the lever 59 forthe operation of the slide-valve 57. The actuating-disk 68 may bechanged in position on the polygonal end of the shaft 34: to vary theoperation of the slide-valve through the described train of connectionsbetween said valve and the actuating-disk. It will be observed that thetransmitting-gearing from the ground-wheel propels the seed wheel ordisk and also actuates the mechanism by which the slide-valve in thefertilizer-hopper is opened. As the seed and fertilizer hoppers arearranged in tandem fashion the operating mechanism for the valve in thefertilizer-hopper should be actuated alternately with the dropping ofthe seed by the revoluble disk or wheel, and by thus operating theseed-dropping devices alternately with the fertilizer-dropping devicesthe fertilizer may be deposited adjacent to the places of deposit of theseed as the machine is drawn across the field.

To insure agitation of the fertilizer in the hopper 53, a rockingagitator or stirrer 72 is journaled in the side walls of the hopper, andthis stirrer has a series of fingers 73, which are contiguous to theslot 56 in the hopperbottom. One end of the agitator-shaft is providedwith a crank-arm 74, to which is connected a pitman 75, that extendslengthwise of the machine for its forward end to be attached to acrank-arm 76 on the end of the ground-wheel axle opposite to the drivingsprocket-pinion 37.

The casters 18 may be adjusted to serve in connection with theground-wheel for the purpose of sustaining a part of the weight of themachine and obviate undue strain on the covering-shovels. I do not,however, limit myself to the employment of these casterwheels, becausethey may be dispensed with by employing an opener-shovel which iscarried by a stock attached to the front end of the machine, saidopener-shovel being arranged between the ground-wheel and the seed tubeor funnel, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. In lieu of the pairof oppositely-inclined shovels I may employ a transverse covering-boardadapted to be fastened to one or both of the stocks in a manner to throwthe dirt over the seed and fertilizer after they shall have beendeposited in the furrow.

Changes maybe made in the form and proportion of some of the parts whiletheir essential features .are retained and the spirt of the inventionembodied. Hence I do not desire to be limited to the precise form of allthe parts as shown, reserving the right to vary therefrom.

In lieu of the disk 68' to actuate the valve mechanism of thefertilizer-hopper I may employ a manysided plate adapted to ride againstthe rockcr-armas, for example, the plate may be triangular, square, orof other polygonal form to carry pins which will impart variable play tothe mechanism which actuates the valve across the slot in the bottom ofthe fertilizer-hopper.

WVhat I claim is-- 1. In a planter, a revoluble seed-wheel provided witha seed-gathering cup which is arranged in a tangential position to theperiphery of the wheel, said cup having a hood,44, which projectsforwardly from the closed rear part of the cup and beyond the peripheraledge of the disk, whereby the hood gathers and directs the seed into thecup on the rotation of the disk, in combination with an expellingdevice, and means for actuating said device, substantially as described.

2. In a planter, a revoluble seed-wheel provided with a tangentialseed-gathering cup having a hood, 44., which projects beyond theperiphery of the wheel and in advance of the rear end of the cup, saidrear end of the cup having a wall with a single opening, and a plungerfitted slidably in the opening at the rear of said cup and arrangedtangentially to the disk, in combination with means for antomaticallyreciprocating the plunger on the rotation of the disk, substantially asde-v scribed.

8. In a planter, a revoluble seed wheel or disk provided with acompartment, a seedcup arranged tangentially to the periphery of thedisk and having a hood, 44, with an open front end lying beyond theperiphery of said disk, a spring-controlled trigger pivoted to theseed-disk within the compartment thereof, an expelling-plunger fitted inthe seed-cup and connected with the trigger, and a detent lying in thepath of a projection on said trigger, substantially as described.

4. In a planter, a revoluble seed-disk provided with a plurality ofradial notches and with compartments contiguous to said notches,combined with seed-cups secured in the notches of the disk and eachhaving a hood which projects beyond the periphery of the disk and isarranged tangentially thereto, triggers housed within the compartmentsof the disk and having exposed actuating-fingers, plungers fitted in theseed-cups in tangential relation to the disk and connected with thetriggers, and means to engage with the triggers for actuating theplunger-s, substantially as described.

-5. In a planter, a revoluble seed wheel or disk provided with thecompartments and with the slotted face-plates, combined with seed-cupssecured to the disk or wheel and each having a hood which projectsbeyond the periphery of the disk and is arranged tangentially thereto,triggers pivoted to the disk to lie within the compartments thereof, andprovided with fingers which project through the slots in the face-plate,springs acting against the triggers,plungers fitted to the seedcups andpivoted to the triggers, and a detent in the path of thetrigger-fingers,substantially as described.

6. In a planter,the combination with a seedl1opper,.a fertilizer-hopper,and a ground- Wheel, of a seed dropping shaft mounted within theseed-hopper, a seed-dropping disk fast with said shaft, gear connectionsbetween the ground-Wheel and the seed-dropping shaft, a valve mechanismin the bottom of the fertilizer-hopper, a lever mounted on theplanterframe and connected to said valve mechanism, a rocker-arm linkedto the operating-lever, and a revoluble actuator device fast with theseed-dropping shaft and having means to ride against the actuator-arm,whereby the valve is reciprocated by the rocker-arm and the lever fromthe actuator device on said seeddropping shaft, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a planter,the combination with a seedhopper, a fertilizer-hopper,and a revoluble seed-dropping shaft in the seed-hopper, of a valvemechanism in the bottom of the fertilizer-hopper, a lever connected tothe valve mechanism, a revoluble actuator-disk fast with thedroppingshaft and having a series of studs, a rocker-arm lying in thepath of the studs on said disk, a pitman pivoted to the lever,andadjustable connections between the pitman and the rocker-arm,substantially as described.

8. The combination With a frame having a ground-wheel, planting deviceson said frame, and covering-shovels carried by the frame, of theswiveled hangers mounted loosely on the frame at the rear thereof andprovided with headed spindles, adjusting-levers fulcrumed at theirforward ends on the frame and receiving the headed spindles intermediateof J. B. RowEN, J. H. GAsKIN.

